John Mark “Marama” Tokong and Rogelio “Jay-r” Esquievel Jr, two national surf champions from La Union Province in Philippines, did not disappoint an appreciative home crowd during the 2024 World Surf League-La Union International Pro.
Tokong took out all-comers in the men’s shortboard division at Urbiztondo Beach in San Juan town in the Qualifying Series (QS) 3000 event, while Esquievel found his timing perfectly to take home longboard honors – marking it off as the inaugural global-caliber surf event of 2019.
Esquievel expressed her delight with winning the event and being supported by family, friends and sponsors on the beach – including Kai Hamase from Japan who is currently No.1 on the Asian Longboard Qualifying Series rankings.
The reigning champion of the 2023 La Union International Pro impressed with the highest heat score of 18.00 out of 20, showcasing exceptional footwork from nose to tail. Their performance established them as a formidable contender on the WSL Longboard Tour